Tears
by Esme
Summary: There are tears of happiness and there are tears of sadness.


Title: Tears  
Author: Esme  
Date: 3 September 1999  
Category:  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with Water Rats. The characters in this story that you recognise probably belong to Hal McElroy, Southern Star and the Nine Network. If there are characters you do not recognise, then they belong to me [so don't steal them unless you ask me first].  
  
Author's Notes: Serious dodgy-factor with this one. It's just a bit soppy and pathetic, and so predictable. Well I thought it was all right when I wrote it, but now - I'm not so sure.  
  
  
  
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Tears  
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Goldie rushed through the door of the Water Police building trying to look just as cool and calm as she always did. Unfortunately she knew it didn't work. Her clothes were neat and tidy as always, but her hair was a bit messed up as she hadn't had time to fix it properly. She was also wearing her sunglasses to conceal how bad her eyes looked that morning. She hated being late.   
  
Helen came down the stairs and almost ran into Rachel. "Oh, finally! A detective. Um, Jack not with you?" Helen tried to sound off-hand and innocent, but her remark was just a bit obvious. Goldie was not in the mood for this sort of thing. "No," her tone was a cross between very innocent and extremely angry. "Why would he be?"  
"Sorry," said Helen as she mentally noted 'Rachel not in good mood. Be careful', "but you know, you were out having drinks together last night, and now you're both late this morning, and well, you're not looking as fresh as you usually do, and the sunglasses, covering the eyes after a big night, and"  
"Oh please Helen, spare me. Jack and I were not together. I said goodbye to him at the bar at about 7:30 last night. And yes, I'm covering my eyes after a big night, but not because of Jack." When Rachel said this, Helen knew she was genuine. She sounded tired and her tone of voice was something like 'I'm not in the mood for this, just get off my back.'  
  
Goldie walked wearily up to her office. Last night had been a shocker. But she would never have admitted to anyone why it was so bad. The reason she was covering her eyes was that they had bags under them, and they were very red - as though she had been crying all night. And she had been. Last night had been exactly one year since her last night with Frank. She remembered vividly everything from that night. They had talked and laughed and reminisced, and well they hadn't spent the night together.   
  
So a year later, Goldie had spent the night re-living that last evening. Remembering every sweet and precious moment. Remembering that she had decided to stay behind. She'd been left on the pier, crying. And a year on, she had not heard a word from him. Damn him. Why did this affect her so much? Why did she care? So she had cried herself to sleep. And now she had the eyes to prove it.   
  
Eventually Mick and Jack turned up, but neither of them seemed to notice how dishevelled Goldie looked, or how melancholy she was all day. 'Thanks for caring, guys,' she thought. They were very busy all day and Rachel didn't have time to get too wrapped up in her thoughts. In the evening she sat there tapping away at her computer. "You staying here all night?" asked Jack as he started to leave. "Yeah. Well a bit longer at least." Goldie went on working and Jack just left. He had actually noticed how disorderly and glum she had been, but felt that he shouldn't say anything.   
  
She sat there in the dark with her solitary desk lamp on, still typing away. Two hours later she finally finished her work and shut down her computer. She walked slowly down the stairs. She felt tired and lonely. The whole day had just been so monotonous and mundane. She stepped outside into the warm summer night.   
  
She thought she was walking towards her car, but realised she was wandering aimlessly down the pier. She got to the end and stood there looking out over the water. The harbour was as black as ink, but the lights of Sydney danced and sparkled all over the water. She stood there remembering, and tears began to spill down her face. Not the violent crying and sobbing that had possessed her last night, which had been full of anger and disappointment. These were gentle, soft tears. They were full of regret, and longing and even hope. "Oh, Frank. Why did you leave me here," she spoke out across the water - talking to the ocean. "Maybe one day he might come back. He should never have left me alone. Please. Just come back."  
  
She shivered as a light breeze swept over the water, and she realised that she had left her jacket in the office. She was about to turn back to get it when a pair of arms slipped around her waist. She didn't jump out of her skin, she wasn't startled, and she wasn't scared. She knew these arms. Their touch was tender and loving. She felt a wave of happiness sweep over her.   
  
"Frank" she laughed through her tears, and that name seemed so sweet. "Rachel," that familiar voice brushed away all her fears and loneliness. "Rachel, I've come back. And I'll never leave you alone again." She sank back into Frank's chest and he tightened his arms around her waist. The tears spilled over her cheeks again, but these were tears of sheer joy.   
  
  
  
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end  
  
  
  
feedback - erinwilson@trump.net.au  



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